STOUGHTON - Pickleball has been around since 1965 and began in Bainbridge Island, Wash.
The game is fairly easy to learn with a 34-inch net, along with paddles that are slightly lighter and shorter than a tennis racket.
It is played with a perforated ball that is made of hollow plastic, which does not bounce as high as a tennis ball, making it easier to hit.
Singles or doubles may be played, and scoring is done when an infraction is committed by an opponent.
Stoughton started a pickleball league last year and according to Judy Graham, the sports is a great deal of fun.
To get the league started, Paul and Brenda Milatz came out to help them set up.
This year the league began on Oct. 1 with 14 players signing up, but they would like to see the league grow.
They play Sundays at the Stoughton Central School from 2-4 p.m. They picked Sundays as the school is less likely to be used.
Last year the Town of Stoughton gave the league a grant to purchase some equipment, which gave them the opportunity to buy a net, eight rackets and eight balls, which are kept at the school.
Trevor Bennett from Regina will host a clinic at the school on Nov. 5.
Bennett has been successful in having the sport return to 85 communities, and his goal is to reach 100 municipalities.
No special equipment is needed for the player to start except for non-slip, non-marking running shoes. The rest is supplied.
They would love to see younger people that are over the age of 18 come out and try the sport.
“The cost is low,” said Graham, and they split the season up, with one half from October until the end of December, and a new season in January until spring. They have done it this way as several of the players go south in the winter and they did not want to charge them for not playing.
When the year is over, any extra funds are donated to the school for sports equipment.
“For a fun afternoon, come out and try a game of pickleball,” said Graham.
